"I appreciate it," Steph says, grinning up at him. "Pleasure to meet you. This castle's a big place, and I sure don't plan on heading down to the dungeons any time soon. Especially now that I know I should wear explosion-proof armour."

She is short and sweet-faced and laughing, and all, but when she lifts a hand to wave goodbye, her sleeve falls back to reveal the edge of a dark, twisting line of cursed scar tissue disappearing into her robes. Not a simple wound, not to leave a mark like that.